On The Menu: What to Eat in Philly Right Now

Recognized as the 6th best food city in America by The Washington Post and the number one best city in the U.S. by Lonely Planet, Philadelphia should be at the top of your must-visit list this year. Get your stomach ready, because there’s a lot to eat in this town, starting with some of my favorite restaurants below. 

Paulie Gee’s Soul City Slice Shop

Excuse me while I become *that* former New Yorker but I have been waiting for Paulie Gee’s Soul City Slice Shop to open up in Philly since the day I left Brooklyn back in 2015 and I’m so stoked to welcome them to the Philadelphia pizza scene! I have fond memories as a regular of Paulie Gee in Greenpoint thanks to owner, Paulie, being such a generous host who always engaged with every single one of his customers, genuinely interested in getting to know his diners, offering up limoncello over life stories. So when I heard his son Derek was opening up at the old Amis spot, I ran to try it out. And let me stop you right there: Yes, Philly has another pizza spot. Yes, Philly has another NYC outpost. Yes, Philly pizza isn’t the same as NYC. But you know what? It’s delicious! While the slices/pies differ here from the Greenpoint restaurant, Derek and crew are creating memorable takes all their own with circles and squares: the roast pork is an obvious ode to Philly, the Freddy Prinze is a mashup a la Brooklyn’s L&B Spumoni Gardens square with Kismet Bagels sesame bottom, and Freddy Pepperoni comes with a drizzle of Mike’s Hot honey while you’re here grab a soda pop, or stop by in the near future for local beers, draft cocktails and unpretentious wine selections. They’ve also got a pool table for you to challenge friends or teach the kiddos (which, by the way, they’re family friendly)! The pizza spot plans to be open every day for lunch through dinner making itself an exciting addition to the Gayborhood.

Amy’s Pastelillos

Did you know that Philadelphia is the second-largest city home to Puerto Ricans outside of the island, after New York City? Amy Rivera-Nassar is part of the diaspora bringing traditional Puerto Rican dishes to pop-ups around the city, fueling a movement for cultural awareness, education and preservation. One bite of her pastelillos will immediately stir up childhood memories for Boricuas who grew up traveling to and from the motherland: The ground beef picadillo, Amy’s best-seller, is juicy, peppery, and rich from the slow thickening of cubed potatoes mixed with a sofrito-layered sauce. The shredded chicken puts others to shame, with tender thigh meat stewed in its own broth and heightened by sweet notes from yellow peppers. The sleeper hit is the guava BBQ pork, a not-so-traditional tangy flavor combo that’s unexpectedly pleasing.

Kismet Bagels

Kismet Bagels is the newest kid on the bagel block with their first cafe, serving bagels, schmears, sandwiches, and coffee in Fishtown. The self-taught husband-and-wife bagel duo, Alex and Jacob Cohen, grew their business thanks to partnerships and community. Kismet’s bagels are chewy but not dense, with a small hole in the middle and a slight crisp that’s perfect for toasting. Their standard recipe calls for King Arthur flour, Pennsylvania-milled wheat, yeast, sugar, kosher salt, and of course, water. The bagels are smothered with toppings on all sides before being baked in an oven. The result is what Alex calls “Montreal on the outside, New York on the inside.”

Messina Social Club

Messina Social Club is the South Philly restaurant that IMHO gets everything right. It's a small restaurant with a powerful team ushering in contemporary and unexpected food and drink to a membership that dates back over 100 years. Chef Edmond Konrad masterfully connects his Polish heritage with his South Philly roots with dishes that instantly attract loyal followers: Old Bay gemelli with crab and nduja ragú (his take on crab gravy), vitello tonnato toast (which tastes like the best version of a ham sammie), and Rigatoni Carbonara (silky, rich, endless craveable) but also plays around with timeless dishes like half chicken, risotto Milanese, salmon crudo, and wedge salad that somehow taste brand new. Konrad is constantly introducing mixing things up on the menu (he's never satisfied and isn't a fan of "signature" dishes that stick around for too long) which makes MSC one of the most dynamic and exciting places to eat. Best yet: Messina can be whatever you want it to be, depending on the night you visit: a neighborhood spot to come in for a few small plates and cocktails at the 11-seat bar, a post-shift hang fueled by Coors Banquet and shots of amaro, or a refined tasting menu dinner service complete with curated beverage pairings. Whatever vibe you're going for, the staff is ready to match it and make the night memorable. 

Banh Mi & Bottles

Banh Mi & Bottles should be at the top of any "best of" restaurant list for one dish: Roasted Duck Leg. In a city where duck is typically served as a seared breast or foie a la French techniques or as hanging Peking duck seen in many Chinatown restaurant windows, this Dùi Vit just hits different. Two large roasted duck legs, crispy dark skin on the outside, tender pull-apart pink meat on the inside, with a side of hearty vegetables (okra, tofu, mushrooms) and bao (this time, lightly fried) with a 5-spiced soy ginger dipping sauce. Much like the rest of chef Tuan's menu, the restaurant is a thrilling hands-on DIY eating experience that includes family recipes, street food dishes, and recreations of his favorite childhood meals. The Hamachi Nuong Xa Ot (yellowtail collar) is a fun shareable platter where each person makes their own spring roll wraps with vermicelli. The Bo Bap Chuoi is all about textures with dried beef, crispy shallots, and fresh herbs served as a big salad with banana blossom leaves. Beef Pho dumplings are an inverse approach to beloved soup dumplings where the broth is outside in a small bowl ready for the ribeye steak-filled dumplings to be dipped, and limes to be squeezed over top. Since the opening of their full bar service, no meal here is complete without one of their equally flavorful cocktails like the Pandan Mojito and Ube Espresso Martini. The best part is hearing chef Tuan and his wife Olivia walk you through all of the dishes so you feel confident eating new-to-you food but walk away having connected to another culture.